Benfica will play AC Milan and Torreense will face Real Sociedad in the league phase of the UEFA Europa League, following Friday's draw in Monaco.
The computerized draw assigned each of the 36 participating clubs two opponents from each of the four seeding pots, ordering teams based on their European performance over the last five seasons.
Benfica's schedule
Benfica will travel to face AC Milan, who are managed this season by former Benfica midfielder Ruben Amorim. The Italian side's squad includes Portuguese forward Rafael Leão, who could potentially leave the club, former Benfica striker Gonçalo Ramos, who was recently signed from back-to-back European champions Paris Saint-Germain, and former Benfica winger Diego Moreira.
The match is a repeat of the 1962/63 and 1989/90 European Cup finals, both of which AC Milan won.
Benfica, who finished third in the Portuguese top flight in 2025/26, will also play away against Czech side Viktoria Plzen, Cypriot club Omonia, and Dutch team NEC Nijmegen, who feature Gabriel Brás.
They will host Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, Scottish club Celtic, who feature former Benfica forward Jota, Polish team Lech Poznan, whose squad includes João Pereira and João Moutinho, and Greek side OFI Crete.
Benfica, who were beaten finalists in the 1982/83 UEFA Cup and the 2012/13 and 2013/14 Europa League, are one of five former European champions in the competition, alongside AC Milan, Juventus, Marseille and Celtic. They reached the main stage by winning three preliminary rounds.
Torreense debut
Torreense, who play in the Portuguese second tier and hold the Taça de Portugal, will play their home matches in Leiria in their first European campaign.
They will host Celtic, Greek side Olympiacos, who feature Chiquinho, Gustavo Sá, Gelson Martins and Jota Silva, English club Sunderland, and Armenian team Ararat-Armenia. Ararat-Armenia's squad features Hugo Oliveira, Bruno Pereira, Bruno Wilson and Benny, and they are managed by Manuel Tulipa, who coached Torreense during the 2023/24 season.
Torreense will travel to play Spanish side Real Sociedad, who feature Gonçalo Guedes, Hungarian club Ferencváros, Lech Poznan, and Norwegian team Lillestrom. Torreense qualified directly and are the 28th Portuguese club to compete in European competition, and the third to do so while not in the top flight.
Portuguese managers
Several Portuguese managers learned their schedules in Friday's draw. Amorim's AC Milan will host Benfica, Ferencváros, Sunderland and Ararat-Armenia, while visiting Olympiacos, Salzburg, Bournemouth and Levski Sofia.
Paulo Fonseca manages French side Lyon, who were relegated from the Champions League play-offs. Lyon will host Bayer Leverkusen, Union Saint-Gilloise, Crystal Palace and Lillestrom, and travel to play Real Sociedad, Jagiellonia Bialystok, Hoffenheim and Vítor Bruno's Anderlecht.
Belgian club Anderlecht, who beat Benfica in the 1982/83 UEFA Cup final, will host Lyon, Salzburg, Sunderland and Hoffenheim, and play away against Marseille, Dinamo Zagreb, Jagiellonia Bialystok and OFI Crete.
Vítor Campelos manages Slovenian side Celje, who were also eliminated from the Champions League play-offs. They will host Olympiacos, Salzburg, Omonia and NEC Nijmegen, and visit Bayer Leverkusen, Ferencváros, Sturm Graz and Ararat-Armenia.
Tulipa's Ararat-Armenia are the first Armenian club to reach the Europa League main stage after being eliminated from the Champions League qualifiers. They will host AZ Alkmaar, Sparta Prague, Celje and NEC Nijmegen, and visit AC Milan, Salzburg, Jagiellonia Bialystok and Torreense.
League phase format
The eight matchdays of the league phase will take place between September 16 and January 28, 2027. UEFA will announce the dates and times of the 144 fixtures by Sunday.
The top eight teams will advance directly to the round of 16. Clubs finishing between ninth and 24th place will enter a play-off round, while the bottom 12 teams will be eliminated from European competition.
